


True Feelings

by Aiskuriimuneko



Category: Yes!プリキュア５ | Yes! Precure 5
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-16
Updated: 2020-07-16
Packaged: 2021-03-05 02:41:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,385
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25306921
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aiskuriimuneko/pseuds/Aiskuriimuneko
Summary: Komachi needs to overcome a few obstacles following the debut of her first online novel.
Relationships: Akimoto Komachi/Natts
Kudos: 8





	1. Confession

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> edited my very first fanfic that i wrote in the seventh grade but the plot remains basic lmao.  
> also, i know they're called coco and nuts but im using their alter ego names while they're in human form (which is for the most part.)

"Wow, Komachi! Your novel is _really_ something," Rin said.

The girls were sitting at their usual table at the café near their middle school. As they were eating their lunches, the topic of the day was Komachi's newly published online novel. Word had quickly spread around school and it seemed quite a lot of girls had read and commented on the novel, thus increasing its online popularity on the hosting site. It was very apparent how much of a hit it had become and Komachi's friends weren't afraid to lather their introverted friend with even more praise. Komachi's cheeks were in a constant state of red as she nibbled on a tuna sandwich.

"It's so romantic, I can't stop going back to read it," Urara giggled as she waved her phone.

"I agree, the writing is so eloquent and flows so well," Karen added as she sipped a cold drink. She sent Komachi a warm smile. "I'm glad your work is finally being recognized. We're truly happy for you."

"You guys. . ." Komachi chuckled, rubbing her neck. Her eyes slid from one Pretty Cure member to the next until her gaze settled on the table. "Thank you so much. You're all too kind."

"I really liked the ending," Nozomi said.

All the girls turned to look at the pink-haired leader who stopped eating to address their sudden silence. "What?"

"You read Komachi's book? I mean, like, all of it?" Rin asked with a raised brow. Nozomi huffed indignantly at the accusation.

"Of course I did! It's about a girl named Haruka and a boy named Sora and they have lots of fun adventures with their friends. After a while, Haruka starts to develop feelings for Sora and because she has troubles with being open about her feelings, a lot of miscommunication and issues start to tear apart the friendship she has with her love interest."

Nozomi popped a small tomato into her mouth as her friends exchanged strange looks. "If only you paid this much attention in Literature class," Karen joked. Nozomi stuck out her tongue.

"Komachi's story is _a lot_ more interesting!"

"Right? Some of the paragraphs you wrote were so relatable, how did you even do that?" Urara asked. Komachi looked at her briefly before she turned her eyes away, fingers now toying with her unfinished sandwich slice. "Ah, you know. I've been reading up on how to write. . .realistic characters."

"Too realistic, I think," Rin chuckled. "The main characters seemed so detailed, it was almost like I knew them somehow."

Komachi didn't offer Rin a reply to that, only stuffing bits and pieces of bread and lettuce into her mouth to keep herself occupied. Or to appear that way.

"Akimoto Komachi?" a nearby voice said. Komachi's tactic seemed to be ineffective. "You're the senior who wrote that popular romance novel, right?"

Komachi turned to see a few students sitting on a different table, looking her way. Komachi couldn't find herself to answer for a moment so she merely nodded. The girls rose to approach her, all clutching their phones. "Oh wow, could you take a photo with us? We're all big fans of your work!"

Komachi chuckled nervously. "P...photos? I don't think I'm up for—"

"She's right here!"

The school newspaper, along with a handful of students, came up to Komachi from seemingly nowhere. Her friends were starting to get uncomfortable with the number of girls occupying their space and how they all mashed their way to get closer to the green-haired novelist. Komachi felt like she was being suffocated, with the stares and the voices and the bodies pressing close to snap unwanted selfies. It was too much, too soon.

"Komachi," Masuko Mika, head of the newspaper, got close with a recorder while a student photographer stood close. "The school is _abuzz_ with the news of your online novel! It has gotten a ton of positive reviews by the internet community as well as our humble middle school. Could you spare us a few minutes of your time for an interview?"

"Uh. . ."

"She could _not_ , Mika," Karen cut in, leveling the younger girl with a cold look. "Now take your entourage and leave."

Mika seemed unaffected by Karen's demand. "Don't worry, a story like this practically writes itself. I just need her to answer a few questions," she said before turning back to Komachi's paled face. "So! Setting aside that minor bout of interference, our readers are dying to know: how did you whip up such an interesting storyline? What was your inspiration?"

The recorder inched closer to Komachi's face but no words came out her mouth. All thoughts ceased the moment all those expectant glances pierced her down into her seat, until she felt small and jittery and itching to run. Desperate to breathe.

"I—um. . ."

The silence gave way to the deafening pounding of her heart in her ears. The quietness was all wrong. This entire situation was—

"Look what you did to her, Mika!" Rin sneered in the girl's face. "She looks terrified! You should all be ashamed!"

"Hey, I only asked her a question, okay? I didn't do anything wrong!"

Suddenly, they were all talking again, too loudly, all at once. They were all arguing amongst each other, defending Komachi, defending themselves. It wasn't hard for Komachi to use this opportunity and slip past the angry, shouting girls, to make her quiet escape. Urara's brown eyes were following Komachi as she ran into the woods.

* * *

Natsu was sitting on his usual armchair as he read the newspaper. Kokoda had long since gone out to buy groceries since customers had been few. It was nice, in Natsu's opinion, since it allowed him to enjoy a moment of pleasant quietness that was rather rare since he had started living here. He came upon a book review from an acclaimed critic and his thoughts went to Komachi, who had been beaming ever since her novel had been approved for posting on a pretty respectable novel website.

Although initially discouraged, she never gave up on her dream. She was tenacious and hard-working and he greatly admired that about her.

While he was reading, he noticed small flecks of pink scattering across his current article. A Pinky was making its way through the room and out the open window before disappearing. Natsu quickly tossed the paper aside and sprinted outside, in time to see the Pinky turn the corner around a block. He sighed, knowing he would have to spend a considerable amount of energy chasing the thing but resigned himself to how he was going to waste his afternoon.

Natsu gave chase.

* * *

Komachi ran and ran until it hurt to breathe and her legs almost gave out. She stopped to catch her breath and gather her thoughts, leaning across a tree as she did. As much as she tried not to, the idea of her having to confront her friends about her complete shutdown just now began to occupy her thoughts. Komachi brought up a hand to wipe the corners of her eyes. This wasn't what was supposed to happen. People were taking great interest in her writing, she was supposed to be _happy_ about that. If only she hadn't used the novel as an outlet for her feelings like that. Then she would've had nothing to feel scared about. A sob made its way out her mouth, unbidden but there all the same. It was no surprise, considering how she had closed up like a clam when everyone was just curious about her novel. She was just weak like that.

Was her novel really worth it?

"Komachi?"

 _Oh no._ Komachi quickly wiped any traces of tears from her eyes before she looked at the person who had called out her name. Fortunately, it wasn't a student from her school but—

Natsu appeared from deep within the woods, his face getting clearer as he approached her. "What are you doing here?"

—Natsu was a problem of another caliber. Especially now.

Komachi cleared her throat and put on a smile. "Hi Natsu-san." she replied looking at her pink school bag. "I was just in the mood to — get some fresh air and feel nature for a bit, you know? What about you?" she quickly added. If Natsu thought her quick deflection was strange, he didn't comment on it.

"I was chasing a Pinky all the way here," he replied. Komachi could make out a bit of perspiration that had gathered on his tanned skin. "I managed to catch it just now."

"Oh," Komachi said. "Well, that's wonderful."

Natsu didn't reply to that. Instead, he let his eyes rest on her face. "Have you been crying?"

Komachi's breath hitched. After a moment, she let her shoulders slump and her smile fall. "Nothing gets past you, Natsu-san."

"I suppose," he said. "Is it — is it something you wish to talk about?"

Ordinarily, Komachi would have lied. Would have assured Natsu that it was nothing serious, that she just needed a quick cry. Perhaps it was the loud voices of everyone still buzzing faintly in her ears, or the adrenaline from the run, or her emotional high from crying just now. Komachi didn't think twice about saying whatever came to her mind now that Natsu had asked and sounded like he cared. Why not tell the truth for once today? She was tired of wrapping her thoughts into carefully packaged sentences, sweet and kind and always well-meaning. Not always truthful.

"No," she said. "I don't want to talk about it but I suppose I have to. Better now than having you hear it from the others."

Natsu's eyes widened a little bit but he let her continue. Good. Komachi found that part of her was glad she finally got a reaction from him that wasn't polite indifference or the rare instances of slight approval.

"Everyone was thrilled about my novel," she started. " _I_ was thrilled. But it became too much for me too quickly and I bolted out of there. They wanted pictures, they wanted stories about my writing process, they were yelling and shouting and speaking on top of each other, so I ran," Komachi said, with a slight snivel towards the end. "I ran like a coward."

Komachi hung her head, tears slowly welling up once more. "I don't want you to see me like this, honestly. All I do is cry — I'll never become strong like you."

Natsu remained silent, watching Komachi as she sniffled and wiped her wet cheeks. "Have you. . .changed your mind about your dream?"

Komachi blinked to clear her vision of any remaining tears. She shook her head. "I don't know. . .I don't think so? I still love to write."

Natsu considered her words. His eyes were downcast as he spoke. "These are just my thoughts, but. . .if you have a story you truly wish to share with others, I think it's worth the obstacles that come your way."

Natsu paused before continuing. "We all have our moments of weakness. I don't believe crying makes you weak. It's just a response to emotion, not a conscious decision," he shrugged, rubbing his neck. "I don't think you're weak for being overwhelmed. You've persevered and made it through some pretty tough situations. You're much stronger than you give yourself credit for, Komachi. And I believe you're plenty strong for not giving up on what you wish for."

Komachi was looking at him with wide eyes and Natsu felt that perhaps he had said the wrong thing. She smiled a little, however, and looked down at her feet. Komachi wanted to reply with 'you're just saying that to be nice' but she knew Natsu wasn't that kind of person. He wouldn't lie to make someone feel better. So she settled for "thank you."

Natsu's mouth stretched into something that wasn't quite a smile, but still gave off a comforting warmth. "Don't mention it."

Komachi sighed, long and deep. She turned her head towards the clear skies and made a decision. "Natsu."

"Hm?"

Komachi's fingers tightened around the strap of her school bag. Now or never. "You remember how my novel's main female protagonist has a crush on her close friend, Sora?"

Natsu stuffed his hands into his pants pockets, leveling Komachi with a raised brow. "Yeah?"

"I wrote Haruka based on myself," Komachi confessed, voice as steady as she could make it. "And Sora was modeled after you."

Komachi stared Natsu straight in the eyes as she spoke. He deserved to know the truth. And if that truth prevented them from being friends, well — it would hurt, undoubtedly, but Komachi was tired of the lies. Of hiding behind half-truths and neat, little white lies and everything in between. She steeled her gaze but try as she might, she couldn't read the look on Natsu's face. Was he creeped out? Did he feel awkward about having defended someone who harbored a crush on hi—

"I know."

Komachi imagined she couldn't get more overwhelmed today, but clearly, she was wrong. How comical must she not have looked, face tear-stained and stunned to silence by the confirmation that Natsu was aware of who the couple in her novel was based off. Her face turned red in an instant.

"I—you," she sputtered. "—you knew?"

"It was easier to see the resemblance between you and Haruka," Natsu elaborated. "Kokoda told me earlier today that he thought Sora and I were very similar. That's when I connected the dots."

"I see," Komachi said, turning her face away. Her face felt impossibly warm right now. "And. . .I mean, does — does it bother you?"

Natsu took one step closer to her, then another. "I would say your portrayal of those two characters is a close approximation to the real thing," he answered, now within close reach of his green-haired friend. Komachi turned to look at him briefly and did a double take. Was he getting. . .flustered? There was an unmistakable pinkness on his cheeks, but maybe it was a trick of the light? Nevertheless, he was pretty close and it was doing things to Komachi's heart.

"How so?" she asked quietly.

Natsu looked Komachi deeply in the eyes. "If I'm not mistaken," he said. "it's implied that Sora has feelings for Haruka as well, no?"

Komachi's bag dropped to her feet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sora = Japanese boy's name that can mean summer sky (similar to how Natsu means summer) depending on the kanji.
> 
> Haruka = Japanese unisex name that means spring, easy-going and peaceful (like Komachi) depending on the kanji.


	2. Realization

Komachi stared at Natsu for what felt like an uncomfortably long time. Was he saying what she thought he was saying? She could feel a headache coming on, slowly but steadily forming behind her eyes and rubbed her temples in an attempt to ease it. This day had been quite the ordeal already.

"What's wrong?" Natsu asked, taking in her state of unease.

"I'm not feeling so good," Komachi said, sighing. "I think I need to head home."

"Oh," Natsu said. He seemed to be taken aback by this. "I can walk you home, then."

Komachi shook her head. Or as much as she was able to with a growing headache. "I can walk home by myself, thanks." Walking alongside Natsu after everything that just happened seemed to require a certain amount of composure and energy that she didn't think she could muster right now. She also needed time by herself to sort out her thoughts, to reevaluate her previous choice of actions and Natsu's implication. Wow, this headache wasn't coming down at all.

Natsu gave a nod, albeit a stiff one. "I see." His hands remained in his pockets as he turned and made his way out. "I hope you get better."

"Thanks," Komachi replied but Natsu was already walking, increasing the distance between them. She wanted Natsu to say hi to Kokoda for her but Natsu was already gone from her line of sight by the time she thought of it.

* * *

Komachi's friends were all gathered upstairs in Natsu House, sitting on their usual couch. Kokoda was there as well, leaning against Natsu's armchair with folded arms. The day was soon stretching to evening and neither Komachi nor Natsu were reachable. This worried them all greatly, particularly Karen who was pacing back and forth and looking outside the window at frequent intervals for her friend's approach. The silence broke as someone entered the shop.

"Natsu!" they all exclaimed. Natsu regarded them all with a questioning look. Karen wasted no time making her way over to him.

"Natsu, have you seen Komachi? We haven't heard from her for hours," she said in a rush. After the initial surprise wore off, Natsu's face returned to the mask of indifference he wore so well.

"Sure. I was collecting a Pinky in the forest outside your school when I saw her crying. We talked for a while and she went home saying she had a headache," Natsu elaborate with a shrug. A collective sigh of relief sounded from everyone at the good news but Natsu didn't stick around to chat. He headed straight for his room without anything else to add, something Urara found peculiar.

"Thank goodness she's alright", Karen said, dropping down to sit on a nearby chair. She let out a shaky sigh. "This wouldn't have happened if I had been firmer in telling off Mika and those other students. I knew Komachi couldn't take that kind of pressure."

"Don't worry about it, Prez. You don't have to beat yourself over this," Rin said, waving her hand. "All we can do now is to wait until Komachi's calmed down and make sure she feels better."

"Yeah!" Nozomi agreed. "We need to make sure Komachi doesn't give up on her dream! Tomorrow we'll encourage the heck out of her!" Urara regarded the passionate display of faith in her leader and gave a nervous giggle. "Just so long as we don't overwhelm her," she added. Karen looked at her friends one by one until her eyes settled on Kokoda, who sent her a smile.

"We'll turn this situation around, Karen," he said. Karen nodded, feeling considerably more optimistic.

"You're right." Karen noticed her phone's alarm buzzing in her school bag and checked the notification. "It's getting late for me. I have several things to complete by today so I'll be on my way."

"Same here," Rin chirped in. "I have a soccer tournament coming up soon so I gotta practice more often these days."

The two girls bid their farewells to the rest of the group before making their departure. Urara was the next to leave. As she made her way home, she looked up to gaze upon the window of Natsu's room, where the curtains were drawn and the lights were out.

* * *

"I'm home," Komachi announced as she slipped off her shoes. Her older sister, Akimoto Madoka, came out from the living room.

"Hey, Komachi. You're home pretty late today," she commented, taking note of Komachi's tired demeanor. "Dinner was ready a while ago but your plate is ready to go in the microwave if you haven't eaten yet."

"I haven't, thanks," Komachi replied, smiling a little. Madoka returned the smile and turned to go back to the living room, stretching as she did.

"I won't pry into your business but I think you ought to give Karen a call," she said before disappearing into the other room. "She's been leaving me quite a few calls asking where you've been."

"Oh." It hadn't even crossed her mind that her disappearance would make everyone worry about her safety. Komachi fished out her phone from inside her school bag and found it to have no power. That explained a few things. After taking a much needed shower and changing into her pjs, Komachi went to grab her phone that had been charging in the meantime. Once powered on, she saw her friends had left her a lot of calls, voice messages and texts. Yikes. She would have to apologize properly for all of that.

First of all, she needed to reassure Karen. She had a habit of worrying herself into a frenzy sometimes, so Komachi found her name easily in her contacts and waited for her to pick up.

It didn't take very long.

" _Komachi!_ " she cried. " _I'm so glad you called me!_ "

"Karen, I'm so sorry I had you and everyone else worried," Komachi sighed. "It was so selfish of me."

" _Nonsense, you had every right to leave. Those girls were totally out of line._ "

"Even so, it must have been terrible not knowing where I was. My phone wasn't charged so I didn't know about the messages you left."

" _It's fine_ ," Karen reassured. How the tables had turned. Didn't Komachi call her back to make Karen feel better? " _I understand completely._ "

Komachi smiled, looking down at her toes as she ran her feet across her plushy carpet floor. "You're such a great friend, Karen."

" _Don't mention it. It's getting late and I'm sure you need to rest. We'll talk more tomorrow, if you're feeling up for it_."

"I'd like that. Goodnight."

Komachi sent a message in their group chat saying she was fine and going to apologize to them tomorrow. She turned off her phone so she didn't have to get distracted with replying to any messages before going downstairs to eat.

* * *

Arachnea's heels clicked against the the floor as she made her way through a dark, familiar path. Her breathing was a little irregular and her palms sweaty, the light making way through the darkness to reveal to her the secretary of the Nightmare organization.

"You wished to see me, sir?" Arachnea asked, her hands trembling a tad. She put them behind her back to appear poised and composed, a far cry from how she was truly feeling right now. One didn't simply get called in to see one's superior officer in this organization, unless it was to be praised for their accomplishments in the field or punished. And considering Arachnea had yet to be successful in any of her missions thus far. . .

"Yes. I have given some thoughts to your current employment in our organization. How you have yet to complete a single mission we have given you since you started working for us," Kawarino explained, voice calm and collected. His stare was icy and piercing, making Arachnea wish she wasn't here. "Considering how greatly your failures have besmirched our cause, I want you to explain to me why I should let you continue to live."

A bead of cold sweat rolled down Arachnea's chin, pure fear radiating off the woman in waves. She scrambled for anything to say, anything that would allow her employer to give her a second chance to fulfill her duty.

"I swear to you, sir, I will prove that I'm worthy of this position! I guarantee that the Pretty Cures will be destroyed and their Dream Collet be delivered to you personally!" she answered, desperate to stay alive. Kawarino raised a brow, the corners of his thin lips tugging upwards.

"You guarantee it?" he asked.

"I guarantee it," she repeated, determined. Kawarino regarded her for a moment, fingers laced together in front of him. Afterwards, he smiled.

"Very well. This will be your final chance, Arachnea. If you manage to make good on your word, I will pardon all your past mistakes. But," his smile fell in an instant. "another failure will not be tolerated."

"I understand," Arachnea bowed her head before turning on her heel to get out of that room. The temperature seemed to increase the more she distanced herself from Kawarino's chilling office. She was determined not to fail. Not this time.

With an increased resolve to complete what could perhaps be her final mission, Arachnea sank into the floor and disappeared.

* * *

Komachi came to school the next day, not knowing what to expect. What would the students say to her, now that she had decided to run away from them? What did Mika write about her in the school newspaper? What about her friends? It wouldn't do her any good to dwell too long on the what ifs but she couldn't help feeling a sense of dread in the pit of her stomach as she made her way to school.

Karen didn't seem to treat her any differently. As she met up with the rest, they were equally as unfazed by her emotional episode yesterday and Komachi was grateful for that. She wanted nothing more for everything to return the way things were.

During recess after the first two classes, Komachi was swarmed with girls coming to apologize for their behavior the previous day. Some were even saddened as they believed their behavior could have discouraged Komachi from a promising career in writing stories. Komachi dispelled such notions and assured them that she was doing just fine and only needed a bit of space.

Mika even decided to pop in to let Komachi know she wasn't going to include an interview in her news article about her, or even drop the news article if Komachi was against it. The Cures held their breath, waiting for Komachi to show any signs of discomfort. They were surprised to see Komachi agree to the article and the interview, but emphasised her right to skip any questions she wasn't comfortable with answering. Mika vehemently agreed to these terms and went on her merry way after securing a recording of the interview and a picture for the front page.

"Aw, she's leaving already?" Rin mockingly pouted. "She didn't even ask to interview _me_."

"Why would she?" Karen asked with a raised brow. Rin puffed out her chest and jabbed a thumb towards herself.

"Surely she'd want to interview the future winner of tomorrow's soccer competition. I'm also open for photographs and autographs."

The girls giggled at the image that Rin was conjuring, of her wearing shades and a ball under her arm, while she signed sportswear and autograph books and striked poses for the paparazzi. Komachi smiled at the normalcy of today.

* * *

"Hello, Kokoda-san," Komachi greeted the next day as she entered Natsu House with a basket. She was wearing her casual attire for the day, which was a soft green summer dress and beige cardigan. Her hair was pulled up in a small bun with a white ribbon. Kokoda was sitting near the counter, expediting a customer who had just made a purchase.

"Hey Komachi," Kokoda answered, waving his hand at her. "Good to see you."

"Good to see you too," Komachi smiled. She placed her basket on the counter and brought out two neatly packaged bags filled with delicious cream puffs. "I brought these over as a way to apologize for worrying you all. I hope you'll accept it."

"You didn't have to do that," Kokoda said. He accepted his gift all the same. "But thanks! Your sweets are too die for."

Komachi giggled at that. She looked around, searching for Natsu. "Is Natsu here? The other bag is for him."

The mention of Natsu seemed to have an effect on Kokoda. His smile faltered at once and his eyes fell down to rest on the counter. "Mm. He went out just before you came. I'm not sure if he's in the mood for these but I'll definitely give it to him."

Komachi blinked, not understanding what was wrong. "Did something happen to him?"

Kokoda let out a deep exhale and scratched his head. "Honestly, I have no idea. He spends most of his time inside his room or going outside. He doesn't respond to a word I say and overall, he seems. . .a little depressed?" Kokoda shrugged. "That's why I'm working the store today. I have no idea why he's acting this way. We were on good terms not too long ago."

Komachi's eyes widened a little. That sounded quite serious. Natsu wasn't the type to be that visibly emotional. What could have caused this change? What recent events could possibly have. . .wait.

Her emotional episode reemerged from the depths of her memories. The meeting with Natsu in the woods, Komachi's truthful moment and Natsu's reassuring words that had sounded oddly like a. . . like a confession?

Komachi's breath hitched as realization dawned upon her.


	3. Conviction

"Komachi?"

Komachi blinked, realizing she had been staring into nothingness for a few seconds, enough to alert Kokoda. How could she have been so blind? She had been so consumed by the struggles of her own creation and the accompanying insecurities and self-doubt lately. So immersed in herself that Natsu's feelings had been completely pushed aside. Komachi of all people knew how difficult it was to voice one's deepest feelings and as blunt and straightforward as Natsu could be at times, he was surely not very open about himself in that regard. Komachi's cheeks darkened a little at the idea of Natsu harboring such deep feelings for her. _Her_.

She needed to find him and set things straight. Perhaps it wasn't too late to undo the damage of her own inconsideration. "Kokoda-san—"

The front door chimed as it opened, revealing Komachi's friends all gathered and smiling at her. They were all in their casual attires as well with the exception of Rin, who wore the school's soccer uniform with a large grin. Oh right. The tournament.

"The first match starts soon, Komachi!" Urara said with an infectious smile. "Aren't you coming?"

Komachi hesitated for a moment which gave the others pause. She quickly recovered. "Yes, of course! I was just dropping off some things for Kokoda and Natsu."

"Aren't you coming too?" Nozumi directed at Kokoda, her large pink eyes sparkling. Usually Kokoda would find it difficult to resist Nozumi's puppy dog eyes but he thought it more important to stay at Natsu House and hold down the fort. "I can't, sorry," he chuckled. "Gotta tend the shop while Natsu's gone."

Nozumi pouted but seemed to accept his excuse. The girls made their way outside, Komachi sending the house one last look before joining the others. From afar, someone sinister was watching.

* * *

Their middle school stadium was rather packed and bustling with activity on this sunny afternoon. The girls on the bleachers were cheering loudly for their friends as matches were already underway. Rin's team was proving themselves to be rather formidable as their second match was against a team comprised of second-years and third-years. They were holding their own pretty well. Nozomi was shouting loud encouragement from her position, much to the chagrin of everyone else watching the game. Urara gave a nervous chuckle.

Karen smiled at her younger friend's silly antics and chanced a glance at Komachi. "Nozomi sure is a one-woman cheer squad."

Komachi didn't reply, only wearing a slight frown on her face as she watched the soccer game reach its half-time. Karen could figure that Komachi wasn't actually taking anything in, though. "Komachi?"

"Hm?" she turned and looked at Karen with a blank look. "Oh, I'm sorry. I was just lost in my thoughts. What were you saying?"

Karen pulled up a smile despite feeling rather dejected over Komachi's lack of interest. "Nothing important."

Karen was certain that Komachi was hiding something. It hurt to think that it was something Komachi didn't want her to know, weren't they best friends? Surely Komachi just needed to be reassured and know that Karen would keep any secret of hers and help in any way possible — but it wouldn't do to ask about it now, not with the tournament still going on. _Later_ , Karen thought. _I'll ask her to tell me what's on her mind. I'm sure whatever it is, it'll help to talk about it._

Karen was brought out of her own thoughts by the sound of screaming.

Students in and out of soccer uniforms were making their way out the soccer field, the crowd of people on the bleachers quickly dispelling as well. Alarm bells were ringing inside Karen's head. "What's going on?"

"Fire!" Urara cried out, pointing towards the fire spreading on the dry field grass. Rin's team had already run away, leaving her to stare at the fire with a look of utter confusion.

* * *

Kokoda considered himself a rather patient guy. Patience and an empathetic heart were two qualities a prince and soon-to-be king of Palmier Kingdom was required to possess. How could one rule a kingdom with love and friendship if one could not understand and connect with the heart of another? Surely, this was a test he needed to overcome in order to become the best co-ruler he could be.

And boy, was Natsu testing his patience.

He had arrived at the store a while ago and had elected to ignore Kokoda's greeting and go upstairs to sit in his armchair. Kokoda had let that slide. Natsu had decided to keep ignoring him as Kokoda had asked about his day. Alright, that was fine too. ~~It wasn't, Kokoda was screaming on the inside.~~

"Natsu, please. I'm your best friend. You can tell me what's wrong," Kokoda said, going for a different route. "You're making everyone worry by staying quiet like this. Please, let us help you."

Natsu pursed his lips, his frown deepening. "You can't."

Kokoda blinked, stunned that his speech had actually managed to get Natsu to talk. "Why not? What's so difficult about your situation that you won't involve the Cures or me?"

"It's just—I," Natsu sputtered, unable to gather his words. Kokoda dared say it was rare to see his friend in this state. Whatever this was about, it was certainly rattling Natsu. "You wouldn't understand."

"I might if you let me," Kokoda threw his arms out. "Seriously. I'm all ears."

Natsu stayed quiet for a while, to a point where Kokoda feared he had returned to his silent, depressed state. "If you tell anyone about this, you're dead."

"I won't tell a soul," Kokoda swore, his right hand held up. "Prince's honor."

Natsu snorted at that, which Kokoda found to be a little insulting. Sure, he would use loopholes to get out of his promises from time to time but not when it really mattered. Not with anything that sounded this serious.

"I confessed my feelings to Komachi two days ago," Natsu said. "And she rejected me."

It was pretty comical how Kokoda spent two seconds processing Natsu's sentence before his eyes went large with disbelief. "You? You _confessed_? _You?_ " he repeated, pointing at Natsu who seemed rather annoyed. "—to, to _Komachi?_ "

"Funny, I meant it metaphorically when I said you wouldn't understand," Natsu deadpanned. "But it seems you quite literally don't understand."

"Quiet you," Kokoda said, rubbing his temples. "As far as I'm concerned, you barely feel anything, let alone romantic feelings for someone else. Hearing this is seriously mindblowing. I may need a minute."

Natsu rolled his eyes and leaned back in his chair with crossed arms. Kokoda took to sitting down on the couch, running a hand through his bangs. He glanced at Natsu and saw how the slight irritation had given way to a sullen expression. "I'm really sorry to hear, though. How did it happen?"

Natsu turned to glare at him. "You want me to go into details?"

Kokoda raised his hands in defense. "Hey, I'm just asking! You seem pretty upset about this and it's hard to believe that—" he gestured with his hands for emphasis. "—you know, that our Komachi could do that much damage to you. In a manner of speaking."

Natsu looked away to stare into an opposite wall instead. "It happened after I caught the Pinky. She had been crying in the woods and I noticed. We talked about what had happened at school. She seemed very upset about how she had reacted and I told her she could overcome this obstacle because that's the type of person she is. A sincere and dedicated person."

Kokoda's lips curled into a little smile. "Aw. You're really sweet when you want to be, huh?"

Natsu's eyes narrowed. "Shut it." He uncrossed his arms and sat up straighter in his armchair. "For whatever reason, she told me that she had used herself and I as inspiration for the couple in her novel. I told her I knew and then I—" Natsu waved with his hand in a 'you know' motion. "—told her how I felt."

Kokoda raised a brow in confusion. "And then she _rejected_ you?" Natsu answered him with a shrug. "She said she had a headache and went home."

This was getting ridiculous. And complicated. Kokoda shot up from his seat, trying to piece together the events as Natsu had described them for him. "Okay, okay, so—you told her that you were in love with her and she just went home without even commenting on it? Is that what happened?"

"Well," Natsu corrected. "I didn't quite confess that way."

As Kokoda continued to be befuddled by this entire situation, Natsu decided to elaborate on the exact way in which he had let Komachi know about his romantic feelings. "That's not exactly the love confession I had envisioned, Natsu." He couldn't fault him though, though. Natsu loves his book references and Kokoda imagines Komachi is his first love. He's already a pretty quiet guy, adding romance to the mix was bound to have its fair share of misunderstandings.

"From my understanding, it's a matter of bad timing _and_ poor phrasing on your part," Kokoda explained. "And poor judgment on Komachi's part. Your confession was a little confusing but that doesn't explain why Komachi didn't say anything to it."

Kokoda could tell that Komachi being the shy girl she was might have been the reason why she hadn't. That and the circumstances that had brought her to the woods in the first place, of course. However, he didn't think Komachi wasn't interested in Natsu. She was usually flustered around him, not to mention she confirmed that she had written the couple in her novel based on Natsu and herself.

That was a good sign. "I think you need to try again."

" _Again?_ " Natsu bristled, looking at Kokoda incredulously.

"At this point, it's only going to get worse if one of you doesn't come forward to be truthful. You never confessed properly and she never gave you an answer," Kokoda elaborated. "If you confess to her again at the right time, at least she'll be able to give you a proper answer."

Natsu let out a huff but didn't object. Kokoda's smirked at his grumpy friend. "And I suggest you try to stay friends with her even if she doesn't say yes to your confession."

"Assuming I confess again," Natsu corrected, once more crossing his arms. He wasn't looking at Kokoda but his cheeks had taken on a light pink hue. "And I didn't plan to stop being friends with her. That would be pathetic."

Kokoda grinned, going over to poke Natsu. "Yes, well. When you stop talking to your oldest friend, it's not that hard to wonder why."

"Oh please," Natsu retorted, swatting away his friend's hand. "I stop talking to you on a regular basis. Don't flatter yourself."

Natsu stood up and went to look out the window. Kokoda could see Natsu's contemplative look reflected in the glass and smiled. Natsu was being awfully transparent when he was in love, it seemed.

"The tournament is almost over. If you're planning on going over to talk to her."

Natsu offered a nod as his only reply. He wordlessly exited the store, undoubtedly going over to the school to straighten things out with Komachi. Kokoda descended the stairs to see Natsu's packaged bag of cream puffs was gone from the counter where Komachi had left it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> komachi and nuts are both smart but also dumb lmao  
> more like dumb when it comes to their own love lives


	4. Conclusion

As the fire rapidly spread across the soccer field and smoke started to rise, the Cures were the only ones left as the rest of the student body had evacuated outside school premises. Rin ran over to join up with the rest of her friends who were all as equally startled as herself.

"How did this happen?" she asked. Karen stepped forward with a determined look.

"We can speculate on that later, the fire is spreading too quickly," she said, bringing out her Pinky Catch. "We need to contain the fire before it gets out of hand and the teachers come to look for us."

Karen was surrounded in bright blue light and in mere seconds, she had become Cure Aqua. She readied herself to use her Aqua Stream, combined with the Aqua Ribbon to enhance the coverage of her stream if needed. She was able to put out a small amount before her leg was stuck to one spot and she cried out.

"This is—" Karen paled. "—spider web!"

As if on cue, a malicious laughter rung out and captured the attention of the remaining Cures. They turned to see their enemy, Arachnea, transformed and ready with her scarlet red eyes and numerous spider legs. Komachi in particular felt fear settle in the pit of her stomach, at the memory of having fought her once before when they were all trapped in _Pirate Hurricane_.

"Your days are numbered, Pretty Cures," Arachnea declared, spider legs at the ready. "No more will you make a fool out of me."

"Girls," Nozomi said and the three remaining girls nodded at the unspoken command to transform. They were all transformed within minutes and ready to fight. Rouge decided to throw the first punch, dashing over quickly to hit Arachnea. Their older opponent easily sidestepped her and increased distance between them, much to Rouge's annoyance.

"You ruin the school tournament and then you run away? I guess you really are a coward!" Rouge said hotly. Arachnea merely chuckled, completely unfazed by Cure Rouge' insult. Instead, she brought out a mask from her costume and tossed it onto the discarded soccer ball on the field. The ball proceeded to grow in size until it was incredibly large compared to a normal human. The Kowaina charged at an inhuman speed towards Rouge who had no time to react, much less jump out of the way.

Mint came to her aid, appearing in front of her with her arms raised.

" _Pretty Cure, Mint Protection!_ "

Her signature shield surrounded both of them and saved them from the impact of Kowaina's attack. Rouge let out a shaky sigh next to Mint. "Thanks, I owe you one."

Mint gave her a smile. From afar, Arachnea was now engaging Dream in battle, her legs swiping and stabbing at the leader who was too quick for her. Kowaina charged towards Dream instead, who took notice and jumped to safety before she could be trampled to death. Dream had little time to recover before Arachnea had stuck her foot to the ground as well, leaving her in the same situation as Aqua. "Gah!"

"Dream!" Rouge called out. "That's it lady, you're going down for good this time!" Rouge's hands glowed a fierce red as she readied her signature move. " _Pretty Cure, Rouge Fire!_ "

The fire was directed towards Arachnea who dodged at the very last second. Rouge' aim had inadvertently caused the fire to be fed and spread even more so than before. Black smoke was now covering most of the battlefield and blurring much of their visibility. "My, a little impatient, aren't we? And here I thought you sought to keep the fire from spreading," Arachnea taunted with a vicious smile. Rouge was mortified at what she had done.

"You. . !" she growled, jaw set and fists clenched in anger. Mint could understand her anger but also saw this as an opportunity. _Nobody will be able to spot us fighting within all this smoke. And we can use the smoke for coverage to launch sneak attacks._

Right as she had finished that thought, Rouge was sent flying after having been taken out by both Arachnea and her monster. This fight was going in a very bad direction.

"Now to deal with the little blonde and the scaredy cat," Arachnea chuckled, scanning the field for the two. Mint saw a figure move in the smoke, running towards her fallen comrades. She knew who it was and what she had to do.

"Hey, ugly!" she called loudly through the smoke. "I'm right here! Come and get me!"

The piercing shriek that followed Mint's taunting was bone-chilling. Mint hoped she knew what she was doing, or Arachnea would surely make her live to regret her actions. Mint ran as she felt Arachnea hot on her trail and Kowaina was soon to follow.

"And where do you think you're going?" Arachnea hissed, sending out spiderweb to capture the soldier of Tranquility. Mint dodged the attacks behind the soccer goals and continued running, weaving through several sports equipment and obstacles in her way. Kowaina suddenly came towards her with its superhuman speed, forcing Mint to jump into the air. Arachnea flew up with a powerful jump, a fist at the ready to punch Mint. Mint blocked the punch with an open palm, however, Arachnea countered with one of her legs slapping Mint, effectively sending her towards the ground.

"Cure Mint!" she heard her comrades exclaim as she was lying on the field. The hot earth felt like it was burning her skin as she tried to stand up. Sharp pain shot through her right arm and she clutched it to her side with a slight whimper. _Things look even worse now_ , Mint thought fearfully, as Arachnea approached her from afar.

" _Pretty Cure, Lemonade Flash!_ "

Golden butterflies of pure light pierced through the darkness and charged towards the spider lady, an explosion erupting from the impact. Lemonade came running to Mint's aid, her bright eyes taking in the bruised and bloody sight of Mint's damaged arm. "Oh gosh, Mint. . !"

Mint shook her head. "I—I can wait, Lemonade. You must free the others so we can defeat Arachnea. . !"

Lemonade hesitated, causing Mint to raise her voice with panic. The Cure of Effervescence was their only hope now. "I'll be fine, now go!"

Leomade nodded before leaving to untie the others, her figure engulfed by the dark smoke as she ran. Mint's legs were struggling to stay standing as she was forced to wait for Lemonade to complete her task, all the while keeping a lookout for Arachnea and Kowaina. Suddenly, she heard Lemonade cry out. "I'm stuck!"

 _No_ , Mint thought with despair. Who was going to save them now? With Rouge out of commission and the others immobilized, there was nothing Mint could do. Her arm was injured so it was unlikely that she could perform another protection shield to even protect them. Arachnea appeared before Mint, seemingly having taken Lemonade's attack head on. She had cuts and bruises littered all over her body and the side of her mouth had a trail of blood running down. Nevertheless, Arachnea looked as if she didn't have a care in the world when it came to her own wellbeing and truly, with the way things were going, it seemed Arachnea had the upperhand.

"There is only you left," she stated, raising her chin to level Mint with a look of disgust. "And from what I recall, _you_ are hardly a threat at all, _Pretty Cure_."

Arachnea uttered her last two words with such distaste, it looked as if it physically pained her to be in Mint's presence. Regardless, Mint's back was against the wall now and she was running out of options. She could feel the blood from her injured arm seep through her fingers and drop to the ground.

"Before I destroy you all, I have one demand," Arachnea said, reaching out her hand. "Hand me the Dream Collet. And I will make sure your demise is swift."

Mint found it hard to breathe. Whether it was due to the smoke slowly choking her or the high-tension situation currently squeezing her heart and stealing her breath, she couldn't tell. It was hard to think, so so hard.

"I—I can't," she said.

Arachnea's eyes narrowed, dangerously so. "I see."

Arachnea charged at Mint and landed yet another slap on her. She fell to the ground with a groan and landed on her injured arm. The pain increased tenfold, flaring up her arm and out her mouth in the form of a scream.

* * *

Natsu was walking towards the school stadium at a normal pace, his hands stuffed inside his pockets. He wondered how he was going to approach this supposed second confession of his, hoping it would go smoothly one way or another. The last thing he wanted was to ruin his friendship with Komachi. Even if she did reject him for real this time, he still wanted to be there for her in good times and bad.

 _It's not as if this will be the end of the world, Nuts_ , he thought to himself determinedly. As he approached the school, Natsu spotted a bunch of students gathered outside. They looked to be scared and speaking loudly on top of each other as teachers demanded they be quiet so they could do a headcount. Natsu approached a student that he was acquainted with, Masuko Mika, to ask for details. "What's happening?"

Mika spent a second or two being in cloud nine when she saw Natsu speak to her directly but managed to recover. She bit her lower lip anxiously. "A fire suddenly started and disrupted the whole soccer tournament. The teachers haven't found the cause yet but the firefighters are on their way."

Natsu looked up to see a thick black smoke rise steadily from nearby. His heart fell to the pit of his stomach.

"Have you seen the girls?" he asked hurriedly. Mika already knew who he was referring to and shook her head again. "I think I saw them watching the matches earlier but I don't know where they are now. They should've been able to get out like the rest of us—"

Natsu needn't hear anything else. He made his way around the crowd and into school grounds, ignoring Mika calling for him. _They're fighting an enemy_ , Natsu thought grimly and ran as fast as he could—

Komachi's faint scream made his blood run cold and his step faltered for the shortest of time. Gritting his teeth, Natsu made his way towards it.

* * *

"I believe I made myself perfectly clear," Arachnea spit out coldly, staring down at Mint. The Cure was squirming in pain on the ground and coughing. "The Dream Collet. Hand it over."

Mint turned her head slowly towards her enemy, dirt and blood smeared across her face. A trickle of blood made its way down from a cut on her lip. "We don't—" she began, throat closing up from both the smoke and the tears welling up in her eyes. "We don't have it."

"Oho?" Arachnea raised a brow. She bent down to easily pick up the struggling Mint by the front of her costume, lifting her up with one hand. Mint tried to pry off the older woman's fingers but it was hard to do so with her dwindling energy level and just the one working arm. Arachnea's piercing red eyes bore into the soldier of Tranquility, like bottomless pits of blood. "Then bring me the one who _does_ have it."

Mint's hand stilled its movement at that. _Natsu_. There was no way she would bring Natsu to give up the Collet and ruin his dream of returning back to his kingdom. Coco and Nuts had been through too much and done so much for her, for all of them. She would _never_ repay them like this. Mint returned Arachnea's glare with a vicious look of her own as she dug her fingernails into the lady's hand. " _Never_."

With a shout, Arachnea tossed Mint away like a ragdoll. Though painful and scary, Mint didn't regret her decision one bit. "Kowaina!" Arachnea shrieked, pointing towards the fallen Cure. "Trample her until there's nothing left!"

Mint's breath hitched as she heard the answering call from the monster, now charging in her direction. So, this was it then? Mint pulled herself up with her last remaining strength, wanting to at least go out fighting. She made a wish that her friends would survive this fight and live. Live to continue helping Coco and Nuts and to follow their own dreams.

"Look out!"

Mint was pulled away last minute before the Kowaina made impact, caught in the embrace of someone familiar. She looked up to see Natsu carrying her and her eyes widened. He was probably the last person she had expected to see right now. "Natsu-san?"

Natsu had been able to get her away from Arachnea, whom he was now glaring at. Mint tried to move but any slight movement set off pain in her injured arm. She whimpered, which caught Natsu's attention. He lowered her gently to the ground and tore off a piece of his shirt to make a makeshift gaze for her wound, his expression looking very pained and troubled. "I'm so sorry I couldn't get here faster," he said, strain audible in his voice. Despite everything, Mint found it in herself to smile.

"I'm surprised you came at all," she said, grateful. "I'm so happy you did."

Natsu's eyes snapped up to look at her, his mouth struggling to form words. "I—"

"Aha," Arachnea called out from nearby, slowly inching her way towards the two. "You must be the protector of the Dream Collet. How lucky am I to have you fall into my hands so quickly?"

Mint tensed up immediately next to Natsu, no doubt thinking about how to get him out of harm's way, even in a situation like this. Natsu felt like smiling himself.

"You really are the protector of the group, aren't you?" he said, catching Mint off guard with how soft he sounded in that moment. A complete contrast to the words coming out of his mouth as he stood tall and confronted Arachnea. "We would rather die than give you the Dream Collet."

Arachnea's mouth twitched. She threw back her head and laughed, deep and wicked before readying her spider legs for combat. "That can certainly be arranged."

"Dream!" Natsu called out. As if on cue, Cure Dream materialized from the smoke, high in the air and ready for action. " _Pretty Cure, Dream Attack!_ "

A pink butterfly flew towards the Kowaina and purified it, thus shattering the mask into tiny pieces. Arachnea screamed before launching herself at Dream once more. Natsu used this opportunity to carry Mint towards a safer area, her uninjured arm slung around his neck. "You managed to untie Dream?"

"Yes. I had to get you to safety so I told Dream to free the others in the meantime," Natsu explained, his gaze going over to someone in particular. "Especially Aqua."

Mint blinked and followed his gaze. Aqua could be seen calling upon her Aqua Ribbon and using _Aqua Tornado_ to carry forth a large body of water that spilled onto the bleachers and the now scorched earth. _She's taking care of the fire_ , Mint realized with a smile. Meanwhile, Arachnea was furious. Her attacks showed her impatience and fury as she unleashed blows after blows upon Dream who was once more dodging and weaving through them all. Rouge came from behind to deliver a kick at Arachnea's side, sending her flying.

"Serves you right!" Rouge said, sticking out her tongue. Before long, Natsu and the Cures sans Mint had surrounded Arachnea as she laid on the hot ground, without any pawns or tricks up her sleeve. Dream took a step forward, glaring at the woman. "It's over."

Arachnea was seething, her eyes wild and her fangs out. Her eyes wandered from each Cure until they settled on Natsu. "It's not _over_ until I get my—!"

"Time is up."

The air rippled behind Arachnea and Kawarino's form materialized, impeccably dressed and wearing a frown. Arachnea scrambled away from him, her eyes wide and afraid. The Cures reckoned they had never seen her in such a state of fright before. Her lips trembled and she bowed before him, begging like never before. "Please, sir! I wasn't about to fail, I—!"

"I have seen the extent of your uselessness and it is enough," Kawarino coldly stated before approaching her. "You will be brought to the organization for the termination of your employment."

"Sir, _no!_ "

Kawarino needed only place his finger upon her forehead to dismiss Arachnea, her scream of anguish still lingering heavily in the air as she disappeared. The Pretty Cures found this incredibly unsettling, their battle stances still ready as Kawarino dusted himself off and readjusted his tie.

"Oh, worry not. I haven't the slightest plan to take your Collet from you — at the moment," he reassured, smiling coldly. "Rejoice in your victory! I assure you, it will be your last."

With those final chilling words, he too disappeared, leaving them all with an ominous sense of foreboding. Lemonade broke the silence. "Is it over?" she asked timidly. Natsu breathed out a deep exhale but nodded.

"Yes. I don't believe they have anything else in store for us. For now," he added.

All the Cures breathed a sigh of relief and rejoiced momentarily at how they managed to defeat Arachnea. Aqua suddenly dashed towards Mint who was sitting nearby and trying to stop the bleeding in her arm. "Mint!" Aqua called out, terrified of the state her best friend was in. Mint gave a weak chuckle. "It probably looks a lot worse than it is, Aqua."

"Hospital," Karen said as she transformed back. She pulled out her phone to make the call. "You need medical treatment, now!"

"We also need to um, get the heck out of here?" Rouge said as she approached Mint, right before she transformed back as well. "The firefighters will be here any second now."

"I let Mika know I would be looking for you girls," Natsu said as they all joined around Mint. He gave her a reassuring look. "I'll take care of this."

Mint let out a shaky sigh as green transformation light surrounded her and dispersed. She was sweating quite a bit and her breathing sounded labored. "Thank you."

* * *

Natsu and the girls made it out to the rest of the students standing outside as soon as the firefighters came out to safely put out the rest of the fire. Teachers and students were swarming Komachi in her injured state and an ambulance stood ready to bring her to the nearest hospital. Meanwhile, Natsu and Karen explained to the teachers that the missing girls hadn't joined up with the rest outside because Komachi had been involved in an accident related to the fire and needed help. That seemed to satisfy the teachers but Karen still had to apologize on their behalf for not getting hold of an adult.

Komachi was taken to the hospital to get treated. It seemed her right arm was broken, as well as gashed near the shoulder which needed stitching. Her older sister came to her in a state of worry after she had been patched up and hugged her tightly. "Karen called and told me everything. I'm so, so happy you're okay."

Komachi could only chuckle and agree with her sister.

The following day offered Komachi a different kind of attention. A few students would come over to leave kind words and sweet encouragement on her cast, in lots of different colors. Someone even managed to slip a phone number. Where did that one come from? Komachi's friends left their own words as well, ranging from 'your arm is going to get so much stronger now!' to 'get plenty of rest, okay?'. Komachi was grateful for each and every sentence. She was blessed with great friends.

"Knock knock," Komachi announced as she entered Natsu House. Natsu was behind the counter, rearranging some jewelry at the display table when he saw Komachi come in.

"Hey."

"Hello," she greeted back sweetly. "I'm here with some red bean daifuku for you and Kokoda-san."

Natsu accepted the packaged gifts with a small smile. "Thank you," he said. "Kokoda has a class to teach this afternoon but he'll be home shortly, I imagine."

"That's good to hear. His sweet tooth is even greater than yours," Komachi giggled. Natsu's eyes fell to Komachi's arm in a sling, where the white cast was adorned with scribbles of different colors. "Who did that?"

Komachi followed his gaze to her arm. "Oh! It's just a thing we do here. People can write all sorts of nice messages on someone's cast to make them feel better."

"It accelerates your healing?" Natsu asked with a confused look. Komachi merely laughed.

"Not quite, but it does make you feel better in here," she elaborated, placing her good hand on her heart. Natsu considered that statement for a few seconds before he reached into his back pocket and brought out a deep red marker. "Can I leave you a message as well?"

"Oh, sure!" Komachi said, taking a step closer to Natsu to give him access to her cast. "Go ahead."

It took him a few seconds to find a spot available for marking and then he got to work. Komachi's head was turned away, partly so his message could be a surprise and partly because the close proximity to Natsu was making her heart do somersaults. She heard him put the cap back on his marker and take a step back. "Done."

Komachi's eyes searched for the dark red letters that matched Natsu's marker and found them. He had written something near the rim of her cast, close to her fingers and easy to read from her position.

❤️ _— Natsu._

Komachi's cheeks darkened as her eyes were stuck on the drawing. She looked over to Natsu and saw him meet her eyes with equally pink cheeks.

"Kokoda said I had to be clearer when I confessed to you again," Natsu said quietly. "Is this not—?"

"Yes, it is," Komachi nodded, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "I understand perfectly."

Natsu nodded a little stiffly and rubbed his neck, his eyes downcast. Komachi decided to be brave. She went over and took one of Natsu's hands, squeezing it gently. "How about we talk over some of these daifuku? Green tea would go nicely with the sweet red bean."

Natsu was quiet for a short while, staring deeply into Komachi's eyes. He nodded, returning the squeeze with a soft smile. "That sounds lovely."


End file.
